Rolling out a revolution!
Lijjat Papad: Story of women empowerment
March 15, 1959, seven semi-literate women with no special skills but a strong determination to earn dignity, went on to make a successful business, doing only what they knew — rolling papads.
They started with loan of Rs 80, gathered on terrace, and rolled out papads. They sold four packets and earned 8 annas (or half a rupee). The next day, they made twice as many and doubled their earnings, splitting all profits.
Soon, more women joined in. The group got publicity through word of mouth and by third year almost 300 women were rolling papads.
They expanded across different cites, and eventually to other states recruiting and training more women in rolling papads. Six years latter they registered their enterprise as Indian women’s workers cooperative Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad or Lijjat as it is called, and formed a unique business model.
Women at Lijjat were working from home even before the pandemic hit. Lijjat helped women who are usually not encouraged to work outside their homes, to contribute to the family income.
Each day a woman would take standardized dough to home from branch and roll them into papad, whenever they are free from their domestic chores. Next day she’ll drop their batch, where it will be tested for quality and she’ll get her daily wage.
Lijjat started with seed capital of Rs. 80 had an annual turnover of more than Rs.1600 crore (over $224 million) in 2019.
Lijjat never mechanized its production because they believe in providing dignity through earning to women, whenever demand increases, they hire more women to roll papads. Lijjat continues to provide employment to 45,000 (in 2021) women across the India. Each worker in the company is a owner, profit and loss is split and each woman has a veto power
The seven founding women were Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundalia, Banuben. N. Tanna, Laguben Amritlal Gokani, Jayaben V. Vithalani, and Diwaliben Lukka.
These seven founding women could have been multi-billionaires but they chose to run Lijjat as a cooperative, to move forward as one and support women earn dignity by rolling papads
Jaswantiben Popat one of the founding women was awarded Padma Shri in 2021, for her contributions to development of Lijjat.
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references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shri_Mahila_Griha_Udyog_Lijjat_Papad
https://www.myonlineca.in/startup-blog/incredible-story-of-indian-brand-lijjat-papad
